spinners, and the under part, are of a pale, brownish-yellow colour.; on the first there is a
curved, black band extending to the anterior part of the sides, which are marked with oblique,
imperfectly defined, black streaks, and on the posterior extremity spots of the same hue are
disposed in longitudinal rows ; the under part is minutely spotted with brown, and a brown
line on each side of the middle region extends to the spinners, the superior and inferior pairs
of which have the second joint of a dark-brown hue; the colour of the sexual organs and
branchial opercula is reddish-brown, and immediately below each of the latter there is an
irregular, black spot.
The Rev. O. P. Pambridge captured this handsome Thomisus in 'Dorsetshire, in the
autumn of 1857.
Thomisus pallidus. PI. IV, fig. 48.
Thomisus pallidus, Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., vol. xyiii, p. 299.
Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. vii,
p. 450.
Length of the female, Hths of an inch ; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, 7,th ;
breadth of the abdomen, Jth ; length of a leg of the second pair, Jth ; length of a leg of the
third pair.^ths.
The falces are short, subconieal, vertical, and are furnished with some erect bristles in
front, towards the inner side; the maxillæ are convex near the base; the lip is triangular)
and the sternum is heart-shaped ; the legs are provided with hairs and strong spines ; the
first and second pairs are longer and more’ robust than the third and fourth pairs, and are
nearly equal in length, the second pair being rather the longer ; and the fourth pair surpasses
the third in longitudinal extent ; the palpi are short, and are supplied with hairs and spines.
These parts are of a pale, yellowish-brown colour, the lip being somewhat the darkest. Each
tarsus is terminated by two curved, pectinated claws, and the palpi have a small, curved,
pectinated claw at their extremity. The cephalo-thorax is compressed before, rounded on
the sides, broadly truncated in front, and depressed in the posterior region ; its colour is
yellowish-brown, the lateral margins being the palest, and an obscure, reddish-brown band is
directed backwards from each latéral pair of eyes. The eyes are arrangèd in the form of a
crescent on the anterior part of the cephalo-thorax ; the lateral eyes are seated on tubercles,
and are larger than the rest, those of the anterior row. being the largest of the eight. The
abdomen is depressed, corrugated, much broader at the posterior than at the anterior
extremity, the latter, which appears as if cut in a straight line across, projecting over' .the
base of the cephalo-thorax ; short, strong hairs are sparingly distributed over its superior
surface, and its colour is pale, yellowish-brown ; there are on the upper part five conspicuous,
circular depressions ; the three anterior ones form a triangle whose vertex is directed forwards,
and the other two are situated parallel to its base ; the sexual organs are of a red-brown hue;
and the branchial opercula have a pale-yellow tint.
This spider was discovered among grass in a pasture at Oakland, in September 1845; and
in April 1849 an adult female was received from Mr. James Hardy, of Penmanshiel,
Berwickshire, who found it under a stone in Penmanshiel Wood. Like Thomisus cristatus,
Thomisus bifasciatus, and some other species belonging to the genus Thomisus, it has the power
of changing the colour of the anterior intermediate pair of eyes from dark, red-brown to pale,
golden-yellow by a very perceptible internal motion. No such motion appears to occur in the
other eyes, which are always black.
Thomisus versutus. PI. IV, fig. 49.
Thomisus versutus, Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. xi,
p. 15.
— — Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.) second series, vol. xi,
p. 114.
Length of the female, 3th of an inch ; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, ^th ;
breadth of the abdomen, gth ; length of an anterior leg, g|ths ; length of a leg of the third
pair, |th.
The legs are provided with short hairs and strong spines, two parallel rows of the latter
being conspicuous on the inferior surface of the tibiae and metatarsi of the first and second
pairs, which are much longer and more robust than the third and fourth pairs ; the first pair
is rather longer than the second, and the third pair is the shortest ; each tarsus is terminated
by two curved, black claws, dentated near the base; the palpi, which are short, are supplied
.with hairs and spines, and have a small, curved, black claw at their extremity ; the cephalo-
thorax is convex, compressed before, and rounded on the sides and in front; it slopes
abruptly behind, is without an indentation in the medial line, and on its frontal margin there
is a row of strong bristles directed forwards ; the falces are short, strong, subconieal, vertical,
and have some bristles in front, towards the inner side ; the maxillæ are slender, convex near
the base, pointed at the extremity, and inclined towards the lip, which is triangular ; the
sternum is heart-shaped. These parts are of a pale, yellowish-brown colour ; the cephalo-
thorax has a brownish-black band extending backwards from each lateral pair of eyes, and
narrow, yellowish-white margins ; and the lip has an oblong, dark-brown spot near its base.
The eyes are disposed on the anterior part of the ceplialo-thorax in two curved rows, forming
a crescent whose convex side is in front ; the eyes of each lateral pair, which are seated on a
tubercle, are much larger than the intermediate ones, those of the anterior row being the
largest of the eight. The abdomen is depressed, corrugated, particularly on the sides, much
broader at the posterior than at the anterior extremity, the latter, which appears as. if cut in a
straight line across, projecting over the base of the cephalo-thorax ; very short hairs are
sparingly distributed over its surface, and it is of a yellowish-gray colour, freckled with brown,
a broad, dentated band, which is bordered laterally with red-brown, extending along the